Gilda. I giggled, embarrassed. I could never accept a compliment, mostly because I couldn’t believe it was true. Sextasaurus.
Juan chatted on. “I remember when you first walked into my office and you handed me your resumé. Straight As, top of your class, glowing references. Brains as well as beauty. An English rose. In all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine. I knew right then I wanted you. Look into the lens, babe. Part your lips. Beautiful.” Click. “I love you, honey.”
“So what are we going to do with her?” Kate said, wrenching me away from my precious memory.
I let a guttural snore escape my throat and clucked my tongue.
“She’s so out of it, man.”
“Are you sure she isn’t going to drown in her own vomit or something?”
“If she does, she does.” Dan. Tough words.
“Yeah, but we need her to sign first. Better, get her to write the whole thing out in her own handwriting.”
“Witnesses?”
“Won’t be a problem. We only need two ‘disinterested parties.’ I can drum up a couple of potheads… they won’t know what they’re signing and won’t even care.”
I swallowed hard. I hoped they couldn’t hear the violent thump of my heart. Stay calm. Stay focused.
“Do we have enough supply?” Dan was humming The Rolling Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper” tune.
“Let her sleep it off, and we’ll give her more in the morning.” Kate.
“Man, I’ve got the munchies,” Dan said, striding out of the room. “Who wants a sandwich?”
Kate clunked out after him. “Wait up! I’ll do ’em or you’ll scoff all the mayo.”
The light went dim—I could feel it through my closed lids. A rustle of the bedclothes. Breath on my ear. Someone holding my hand, stroking my fingers. “I feel so bad for you. I feel like… like I’ve made a pact with the devil or something. It’s so wrong! I can’t let them do this to you,” Jen said, crying. “They want to… put you to sleep. Like a sick dog! They never told me this was the deal! It’s not okay. No way is this okay.” She shook me and tried to make me sit up. I let some drool edge out of the corners of my mouth again, spill in bubbles down my chin. I didn’t trust her. She wiped my face with the sheet. “Fuck! Oh, fuck! How did I get myself into this fucking shit! I’ve got to get you out of here.” Jen left the room.
Without locking me in.
Forty-One
Fearful yet fearless and fueled only by adrenaline, I crawled in my pajamas, out of my bedroom, on my hands and knees. I had made it look like I was still in bed by plumping up pillows under my comforter. Would the triplets fall for that old trick? At least it would buy me some time.
The corridor was dark, thank God. The key was tied on a string, looped around my bedroom door handle and in the keyhole. I shakily stood up, locked it and prayed the triplets would be too stoned to check on me before going to bed. Too weak to even stand, and feeling a slamming head-rush, I got back on all fours. I’d make my way to the laundry room and grab my car keys, then bide my time. If they caught me, I’d tell them I was heading for the drinks fridge. I’d play drunk. Hopefully, the last place they’d suspect to find me would be that claustrophobic room, which they knew I hated. Once I was sure they were all asleep, I’d sneak upstairs to the kitchen, find the spare front door key and drive away in my car.
If I didn’t escape tonight, I’d be dead.
I had to get out of this house.
Sweat plastered my hair to my forehead; I picked hair away from my eyes, my fingers shaking, bare and thin. I took a double take at my left hand. Bare fingers? My engagement ring was gone! Jen? Kate? My heart told me to go back and look for it in my bedroom, but my head screamed at me to keep going. My life was at stake. I fantasized again about that handgun I’d deliberated so much over, and I knew that if I made it out of here, I would never again be that needy, trusting person I was before.
I had changed as a human being.
The TV droned above me loudly, interspersed by cackles from Dan and Kate at whatever they were watching. They must all still be high, stuffing their